Date of Birth: December 1, 1911
Zodiac Sign: Sagittarius
Date of Death: October 1, 1984
Biography
Walter Emmons Alston, often referred to as “Smokey,” was an iconic figure in American baseball. Born on December 1, 1911, in Venice, Ohio, Alston would go on to become a legendary manager in Major League Baseball (MLB). Although his playing career was brief, appearing in just one MLB game as a first baseman for the St. Louis Cardinals in 1936, his managerial career spanned over two decades with the Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers. Alston managed the Dodgers from 1954 to 1976, leading the team to seven National League pennants and four World Series championships (1955, 1959, 1963, and 1965). His calm demeanor, strategic mind, and ability to get the best out of his players earned him immense respect in the baseball community. Walter Alston passed away on October 1, 1984, in Oxford, Ohio, but his legacy in the sport endures.
5 Interesting Facts about Walter Alston
1. Walter Alston managed the Dodgers for 23 seasons, making him one of the longest-serving managers in MLB history.
2. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1983, a year before his death.
3. Alston’s only MLB playing appearance was as a pinch-hitter, and he struck out.
4. He won the National League Manager of the Year award six times in his career.
5. Despite his success, Alston worked on a one-year contract throughout his entire 23-year tenure with the Dodgers.
5 Most Interesting Quotes from Walter Alston
1. “I’d rather be lucky than good.”
2. “Baseball is a game of inches.”
3. “A manager’s job is simple. For 162 games, you try not to screw up all that smart stuff your organization did last December.”
4. “The toughest thing about managing is knowing your personnel and what it can give you under all conditions.”
5. “The only thing I know about the high cost of living is that it’s gone up another dollar a quart.”
Highest Net Worth Achieved
Walter Alston’s highest net worth was estimated to be around $1 million at the time of his death in 1984.
Children
Walter Alston had one child, a son named Walter Alston Jr.
Relevant Links
1. [Walter Alston – Baseball Hall of Fame](https://baseballhall.org/hall-of-famers/alston-walter
2. [Walter Alston – SABR Biography](https://sabr.org/bioproj/person/walter-alston/
3. [Walter Alston – Britannica](https://www.britannica.com/biography/Walter-Alston
4. [Walter Alston – Los Angeles Dodgers](https://www.mlb.com/dodgers/history/managers#walter-alston
5. [Walter Alston – Find a Grave](https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/2413/walter-alston
